Ways To Give

In My Image

Written by Alison Rachel

What do you pray for your kids? Beth Scholes has some excellent prayers from a parent’s heart.

 

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.” (Philippians 4:4-8)

 

There’s a picture on my windowsill of my three children, smiling back at the camera. Taken years ago, they’re so little in this picture.  Our daughter looks so much like me. God has made an extension, a likeness of myself. She is her own person and she lets us know it. She was created for her time, for such a time as this. However, she bears my image.

In that family image captured three years earlier I see our happiness and the closeness that we share, a closeness that is still growing today. I pray our children will have been blessed with an upbringing that will undergird their lives for the purposes the Lord has for them. May their childhoods adorn the testimony of their lives for the glory of the Lord.

We have a quiver of children. What are we aiming them at for the trajectory of their lives? What path are we setting for them in childhood? When we let the arrow go and they move out of our home, which target will they fly toward?

The child, unlike the arrow, has a mind of its own. That thought could make me anxious. So I bring this as well to the Lord in prayer.

Lord, I praise you for your never ending, never forsaking, always hoping, love for us. Thank you for the blessings you have bestowed on my family. Thank you for our love. Have your way in our family. Help us to serve you as you desire. Remove anything from our lives, from our relationships, that would be contrary to your will. May we be found at the end of our short time on earth faithful to you, and having fulfilled your purpose for our lives. I pray that in all things, we will display your image. May you be glorified. In the strong name of Jesus Christ I pray.

 Question: How can you help direct a child to Jesus in your life?

2 Responses to “In My Image”

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• Jamie says:

  February 24, 2012 at 1:02 pm

  Oh Marie, I can only imagine how heart breaking it can be to see your children not following the Lord. I was just talking with a lady yesterday about her grandson who she had brought to church regularly as a young boy but now that he is in his teens he wants nothing to do with the church and his drug addict mother is leading him towards all kinds of destructive patterns.

  I will tell you the same thing I told her: the most powerful thing you can do for your loved ones who are not following Jesus is to pray for them. More than the words that you say, the ways that you show your love for them, or the lessons you try to teach them, prayer will be the activity that will see them come to faith. The reason that prayer is the most effective practice is: 1) God acts when we pray. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not pray.” Often God waist for us to intercede on behalf of someone because He has called us to be His fellow workers in the building of His Kingdom; 2) Prayer helps us to recognize that God is the One who will accomplish our loved one’s salvation and so we are better prepared to respond to His directions in how to act and to speak; 3) we are able to rest in the comfort of the Lord’s action rather than feeling anxious about what we have to accomplish. Jesus said “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry a heavy weight, and I will give you rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)

  Along with prayer, the next most powerful thing that you can do for your children is pursue an authentic relationship with Jesus yourself. Live every moment with the expectation that God has a purpose for you and is communicating that to you in some way. Actively look for His interaction with you and be free in acknowledging it and thanking Him for it. There are few things that turn people off of Christianity than Christians who are caught up in the outward religious show of Christianity but lack the real consistent relationship with Jesus.

  There are resources that you can make use of that will help you to communicate what you believe to people who do not know Jesus. You can see some of those at our resource link http://store.powertochange.org but they will have little value if you are not praying or not living out an authentic, moment-by-moment relationship with Jesus.

  Heavenly Father, I pray for Marie and her children. You know well the situation that they are in and You have a plan to help them discover relationship with Your Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that You would clearly communicate the need that they have to be set free from their sinful nature and that it is only through Jesus that new life is possible. I pray that You would clearly lead Marie as she lives out her relationship with You in front of her children. May her life be a clear testimony of what a difference You make in a person’s life. May these children be added to Your kingdom soon and their lives become an example for others to follow. In Jesus name, amen.
• marie says:

  February 19, 2012 at 6:28 am

  How do you get your older children to serve God when they were not raised in a christain bring up?

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